We have no more speakers on the Order of Business. I call on the Leader to respond.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senator Chris Andrews - the need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make a statement on her decision not to hold a statutory inquiry into abuse at St. John Ambulance Ireland. Senator Pauline Tully - the need for the Minister for Education to make a statement on her plans to increase capacity in the school transport scheme. Senator Aubrey McCarthy - the need for the Minister…

I welcome Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, to Seanad Éireann.

I welcome to our Distinguished Visitors Gallery the ambassador from Greece. Today is Greece's national day and we are delighted to have our friends from Greece here to mark the beginning of the Greek revolution. The ambassador is joined by his wife. It is more than 200 years since the beginning of the Greek revolution in 1822, a war that involved a Corkman, General Richard Church, who led the Greek army in the latter stages of the war and ended up becoming a Greek senator and a Greek citizen. There are more than 5,…

I welcome to the Gallery guests of Aoife Hayes, the Malahide Active Retirement Association. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I am afraid we are not providing all the excitement of what is happening in the other House but nonetheless we are getting on with business and we are delighted that they are here today.

I welcome to the Gallery the guests of Senator Curley, namely, Patricia Gaffney, Mary Harney, Loretta Gibbons and Richard Moore. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann and I thank them for being here.

Before I call the next speaker, I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery the Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth. She is most welcome here today, as are her parents Maura and Des, as well as relatives of the Smyth family: Kathy, Eddie and Breda Neville from Beckenham in Bromley. They are welcome to Seanad Éireann today and I thank them for being here. Our next speaker is Senator Keogan.

Go raibh maith agat. Anois, Seanadóir O'Reilly.

No, Senator Sarah O'Reilly.

There is something wrong with my mic. It is either I am speaking too low or-----

Before I put the question on the Order of Business, I welcome the second group from the Malahide Active Retirement Association. They are here as the guests of Aoife Hayes and they are most welcome to Seanad Éireann today.

I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senator Victor Boyhan – the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on the emigrant support programme in the United Kingdom, in particular the ongoing funding opportunities provided by the Irish Government to UK-based support groups and organisations. Senator Sharon Keogan - the need for the Minister for Finance to review the current capital acquisitions tax regime, in particular t…

The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, is most welcome to the House.

Before I call the next speaker, I welcome people from St. Joseph's school, Rush, to the Gallery. They are most welcome. It is tradition in Seanad Éireann that there is no homework for the rest of the week. Always come on a Tuesday.

As there are no other Senators offering, I ask the Deputy Leader to respond on the Order of Business.

Without interruption, please.

I wish the Deputy Leader's brother a happy birthday. I also welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery the guests of Deputy John Connolly, who are here from the Irish Wheelchair Association.

I have received notice from the following Senators that they propose to raise the following matters: Senator Alice-Mary Higgins - the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on steps taken to dissuade or respond to Lithuania's formal withdrawal from the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. Senator Fiona O'Loughlin - the need for the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the implementation of the national fares strategy. Senator Nessa Cosgrove - the need for the Minister …